Paper Palate

I think I need to have a party, because articles about outdoor entertaining keep catching my eye lately. Politely given regrets are all I would likely receive in light of our current three-digit temperatures. Once the mercury descends, I look forward to trying out some of these tips that were nearly hidden among ads in my July 2006 Sunset magazine. And those of you who don’t live in a place where the asphalt is dangerously close to being liquid can use these tips sooner rather than later.

The first tip is to create a bar level table on your patio. Preferably, the table should be a big one, like your kitchen or dining room table. They recommend raising it six inches with books, but I love and cherish my books, so I would probably use cinder blocks or wood to raise it. This idea is perfect for parties without a seated meal because the raised table allows your guests to “move comfortably around it and serve themselves.”

Next, they recommend straying from the “typical July Fourth fare” because we are all “people from many countries, so don’t hesitate to mix it up.” I am not sure sure about this one because my guests generally bring their kids, who might prefer a traditional hot dog instead of cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto. So, maybe a mix of traditional and non-traditional foods would be best.

Finally, and I really like this one, is the idea of making edible centerpieces. Really, where do people come up with these things? So creative. Instructions are included for at least one centerpiece:

The Angles placed florist foam in square containers and put a candle in each. Then they pierced strawberries on bamboo skewers and poked them into the foam around the candles, so that guests could “pick” the berries during the party.

I guess you just have to make sure that the candles are far enough away so that you don’t end up with toasted strawberries.

Little articles like this one make me feel that my magazine subscriptions might actually be justified. Do you have any creative outdoor party tips that I could steal, I mean try out?

[Photo from The Original Strawberry Facts Page]